U.S. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of AFRICOM, met with Army General Thierry Burkhard, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces meet in Paris, France Jan. 24, 2022. (Photo: Jean-Christophe Mantrant / Etat-Major des Armees)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
U.S. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of AFRICOM, met with Army General Thierry Burkhard, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces amid continued instability in Africa with another military coup reported in Burkina Faso this week. There have been five military takeovers across Africa over the past year in Chad, Mali, Guinea, Sudan, and Burkina Faso. More troubling are unconfirmed reports that Russia is linked to this week’s coup in Burkina Faso. Also,
In Monday’s meeting in Paris, the two Army generals re-affirmed U.S./France support in security in Africa, according to AFRICOM.
“The U.S. and France share mutual interests assuring stability in Africa. AFRICOM maintains a regular dialogue with the French and appeciates their leadership on security in Africa.”
-AFRICOM
French Army General Burkhard said he had “rich” discussions with the US AFRICOM delegation on the situation in the Sahel, West Africa and the terrorist threat in Africa. U.S. AFRICOM, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, is one of 11 U.S. Department of Defense combatant commands, each with a geographic or functional mission that provides command and control of military forces in peace and war. AFRICOM employs “broad-reaching diplomacy, development, and defense approach to foster interagency efforts and help negate the drivers of conflict and extremism in Africa.”
“AFRICOM is a privileged partner of the French armies as part of our operational commitments in Africa.”
-French Army General Thierry Burkhard
French Soldier Killed in Terror Attack in West Africa MALI
Brigadier Alexandre Martin , of the 54th artillery regiment, was killed in combat in Mali Jan. 22, 2022 (Source: ministère des armées françaises)
A French soldier was killed Saturday Jan. 22, 2022 in a mortar attack on the Operation Barkhane military camp in Gao, Mali as France reduces its forces in the West Africa Sahel region. The French camp was the target of ten mortar shells. Several French soldiers were hit by these shots, including Brigadier Martin. Despite immediate treatment, he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing emergency surgery at the camp’s medical unit, the French minister of the Armed Forces said in a statement. The death of the 24-year-old artilleryman brings to 53 the total number of combat deaths suffered by French forces since they first deployed troops in the Sahel in 2013 for its battle against Islamist extremists.
